


Wake up and tell me

by Joana789



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: And nobody dies in this one so don't worry, Established Relationship, Fluff, I like it, I'm so glad they are happy you don't even know, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Nico included, Post-War, SO MUCH FLUFF, and everyone is happy here, finally though, i'm tagging that just in case, it's so refreshing to write something like this, kind of at least
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-03
Updated: 2014-09-03
Packaged: 2018-02-16 01:06:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2250117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joana789/pseuds/Joana789
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nico has nightmares, they both know that. It's not the first time he wakes up and discovers that he's crying. He hates these moments but in the same time, there's something weirdly appealing about them - because Jason's here to comfort him, after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wake up and tell me

**Author's Note:**

> So, finally, I decided to write some fluff this time - this thing is sweet, really. I like the way it turned out, though. Jason's almost perfect but he loves Nico so I think we can forgive him, can't we? I hope you'll enjoy!  
> As always, sorry for any possible mistakes.  
> [angstandcats.tumblr.com]

When Nico wakes up, he instantly knows he’s crying.

The night is rather silent and calm – there’s no rain or storm this time, only wind blowing outside the window. The only sources of light Nico notices are blinking stars in the sky and, stronger but still dim, street lights. Chances are it’s really late – he can’t spot anyone on the pavement, seeing only cars, their lights blinding as they go down the road, noticeable only for a few seconds.

He turns his gaze from the view outside the window as his eyes slowly get used to darkness. Nico’s vision is blurred, but he doesn’t really mind. Dozens of shadows in the room are still visible, living in the corners and getting control over the environment. They've never bothered him, like it happened when it came to most of other people – he actually finds them soothing, like old comrades or strange but loyal members of his family.

Shadows are not enough to comfort him now, though. Nico can feel his own body shaking, tears dropping in the sheets he’s covered with as he carefully sits up.

It’s because of his dream. This dream he hates, the one appearing from time to time, ruining illusions of peace on building which Nico focuses so much. It’s so real that sometimes it makes him scream and yell, even though it’s made just from his memories – of his father and his wince, eyes filled with contempt, of Bianca and her scared expression he always dreaded back then, when his sister was still alive. Of Hazel, alone and afraid when he first saw her in the Underworld years ago. Percy, being wary of him and distrustful, angry. Of Tartarus, of its frightening, dark depths – the pain he suffered there was still too overwhelming to deal with sometimes and his own brain reminded Nico of that by showing him these images, by tormenting.

Nico shakes his head, desperately trying to get this nightmare out of his mind but it doesn’t work. He hears his own sudden sob and quickly grits his teeth, trying to hold back all the noises.

There are nights when he wakes up alone, the bed too big for one person and cold. The whole apartment seems so huge then, so dark and spacious. Usually, Nico gets up and goes to the kitchen to make some tea, and the sound of his bare feet on the floor is the only audible sound at all.

But tonight’s not this kind of night.

He looks to the side, already knowing what he’ll see – Jason Grace, tangled in their bed sheets, his bare chest exposed and face peaceful. Nico vaguely remembers that he fell asleep with Jason’s arms wrapped around his waist, but they are no longer here, and suddenly he feels cold. Doing his best not to wake the blonde up, he exhales softly, but the tears don’t stop.

Because looking at Jason usually helps him to calm down, he decides to do it now – Nico stares at his strong forearms and shoulders, scars on them barely visible, then moves his gaze up his chest and neck. Jason’s expression is serene, lips slightly parted – the scar Nico cherishes so much is hardly able to be seen in the shadows. He looks at his long eyelashes, slightly arched eyebrows, somewhat tanned skin, darker than his own in the dim light of the street lamps from outside and at his fair hair, a bit longer than usual, as he notices.

While looking at him, he can’t ignore the memories of previous events of this night. He manages to smile at them - still fresh in his mind - taking a ragged breath as he looks down at his shaking hands. It helps a bit, but he is still a mess, a nightmare echoing in his head. Nico drags his hands through his hair, trying to calm down, it doesn’t really matter, though, because the tears don’t stop.

Oh, he hates crying so…

“Nico?”

He quivers when he hears Jason’s hoarse, muzzy voice and quickly tries to wipe away his tears with the back of his hand, hoping Jason didn’t catch that.

“Why are you awake?” Nico hears a few seconds later. He swallows as he moves his gaze to his boyfriend.

“It’s nothing, don’t worry.”

When he speaks, his voice turns out to be muffled and quiet, and then he hears the mattress squeaking as Jason supports his weight on his elbows. He slowly sits up in order to look Nico in the face.

“What’s wrong?” he asks.

Nico feels his eyes filling with a new wave of tears within seconds, and then they are already streaming down his face, too soon to stop them. He shouldn’t be so moved – it was just a stupid dream, one of many,many nightmares he’s had – but he is, a shaking mess, suddenly speechless. All he can do is look at Jason – barely seeing him, his vision blurred.

“Are you… gods, are you crying?” Jason says, sounding really concerned, even though it’s the middle of the night, and before Nico can even blink, he’s in his embrace, feeling this pleasing warmth of Jason’s chest against his. The blonde locks his arms around Nico’s waist, dragging him even closer, and the boy tries to relax.

It’s always much easier in Jason’s embrace.

“Nico?” he can hear, Jason pressing his lips to his temple now.

He takes a breath, the scent of intimacy still perceptible in the air.

“I’m…” he tries, but his voice breaks so he starts again, “I’m fine. It’s just a…  stupid dream.”

“A nightmare?”

Nico just nods.

“Still the same?”

Pressing his forehead to Jason’s cheek, he nods again.

 _It’s nice to have someone like that_ , he thinks as Jason kisses his hair and then wipes off the tears with his thumb. Someone who knows you so well. Who’s always there to help and comfort, without any judgment. Who wakes up because of you crying and never holds it against you.

At times like these, Nico still finds himself surprised that he’s the one who’s dating Jason Grace, despite all the years they’ve already spent together. After the war had ended – as well as the whole prophecy thing – and they got the chance of a fresh start, he never thought he’d actually end up like that, in one bed with the son of Zeus and head over heels in love. He didn’t believe that Jason would choose him, of all people, after he and Piper had agreed to end their relationship. Nico di Angelo was nothing compared to that girl – he knew that, everybody did.

But he was in love with Jason and, as he saw later, Jason was in love with him, too.

Hazel still says that he deserves some happiness after all he’s accomplished.

Then Jason touches his back, looking quite awake now, and all of his thoughts stop.

“It was just a dream, Nico.”

He tries to smile but supposes it turns out more like a wince.

“I know,” he says, luckily a bit more confident now, although he’s still shaking. Jason can feel it, too, because he presses him stronger to his body again.

They are silent for a moment, listening to their breathing in the still air in the room and wind blowing outside. Nico enjoys that – especially because it’s so peaceful, and Jason is as warm as ever. But it’s also the middle of the night, he reminds himself. They really should be sleeping - that’s why Nico speaks first, ruining their shared silence.

“Sorry I woke you up.”

He can feel Jason’s smile against his skin.

“No need to be,” he murmurs. Nico unconsciously runs his fingers through his boyfriend’s hair – that earns him a wet kiss placed at the corner of his mouth, “I’m always here if you need me.”

That’s true.

“I should be too old for crying by now,” he says quietly.

Jason’s grin fades away from his face, and even if Nico can’t see him, he knows Grace is frowning.

“It’s okay to cry, Nico,” he mutters and Nico lets him look at his face. “You should remember that.”

He swallows, trying to pull himself together.

“I don’t have to.” Trying to sound light, he rolls his eyes. “I have you to remind me.”

There’s a spark of something in Jason’s eyes, barely visible in the dark.

“Yeah, you do,” he agrees in a thick voice.

And, before Nico gets a chance to react, he leans and kisses him.

It’s sweet, tender – not so ardent and rapturous, like the kisses they shared a few hours ago, but it still makes Nico’s breath uneven. He can feel a shiver running down his spine when Jason deepens the kiss, tilting his head as they open their mouths wider. Dragging his fingers through his boyfriend’s hair, he can’t bring himself to hold back a silent moan escaping him. When Jason sighs in contentment, though, he knows the boy doesn’t even want him to do so. Grace’s hands are moving down his chest and, eventually, stop to hold his hips. It’s a firm, sensual grip.

 _It’s nice_ , Nico thinks.

He likes it - the heat spreading in his body whenever Jason touches him this way. Their deep and passionate or sometimes gentle and  innocent kisses. Falling asleep and, later, waking up next to him, in their shared bed. The mornings when Jason makes him breakfast or the smile on the boy’s lips when Nico wishes him a good day. At times, just being around Jason is enough, soothing, like a lullaby - he’d never dare to think he would get a chance to experience that.

When they part, slowly and slightly reluctant, he can feel Jason’s smile against his own lips.

“You okay now?” the blonde asks and there’s a drowsy tone in his question – Nico discovers that he is quite sleepy himself, too, all of sudden. Jason’s body is warm, as well as his eyes when he looks at him, eyelids becoming heavy.

“I guess,” he answers, shrugging. Brushing his lips over Jason’s the last time, he leans and kisses his lip scar, lightly and gently. The boy nips Nico’s bottom lip, teasing him.

If it wasn’t so late – if he wasn’t so weirdly tired – he would definitely do something about it. But now, when he looks at the alarm clock and sees that it’s about 3 AM, he just leans into Jason’s arms, not saying a word.

_So warm._

And Jason instantly knows. In a second, they are both tangled in bed sheets again, chest to chest, strong arms locked around slender waist. There’s no wind blowing outside - their even breathing turns out to be the only audible sound now.

Nico closes his eyes and inhales.

When he falls asleep again, all the nightmares are long gone.


End file.
